Washing machine



Aug. 14, 1934. R. F. PENDLETON WASHING MACHINE Filed NOV. 5. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 14, 1934. R. F. PENDLETON WASHING MACHINE Filed NOV. 5, 1932 2 SheelZS-Shee'i 2 INVENTOR /PO $00:r PfA/DLETo/v ATT RNEYS Patented Aug. 14, 1934 STATES area 4 Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines for special uses, and particularly to a Washing machine for use in cleaning the parts of milking machines.

To keep down the bacteria count in milk, it

is important that all parts of the milking machine be thoroughly cleansed and sterilized, and particularly those eXible parts like the teat cups and connecting tubes which either contact immediately with the cows udder or form the connections between the metal parts of the machine and the parts which contact with the cows udder.

Because of the fact that these parts are flexible and are usually formed to some extent of rubber, it is difficult, with ordinary washing implements, to be sure that every part of the surface has been cleansed.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide convenient lapparatus for quickly and thoroughly cleansing these parts of the milking machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washer will operate eiectively with a minimum amount oi liquid so that waste of sterilizing agents may be avoided.

Other objects and important features of the invention will appear from the following description and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a washing machine embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end view looking at the machine from the right in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view;

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the bearings for` the driving shaft of the Washing machine, and

Figures 5 to 9 inclusive are views of different formsY of tools adapted to be used with the machine, Figures 6, 7 and 8 showing tube cleaning brushes, and Figures 5 and 9 being respectively a side elevation and an end view of a tube cleaning reamer.

In its illustrated embodiment, the invention is shown as comprising a tank 2, which is preferably relatively long in comparison with its width and which is shown as removably mounted upon a base 4 on which is also mounted the electric motor 6 which drives the various cleaning tools employed with thertank. For convenience in removing the tank for cleaning, locking means is provided which can readily be operated either to lock the tank to the base 4 or to unlock it so that it can be removed. The illus- (o1. is-fss) trated locking means comprises a cam lever 8 attached to the base 4 by a bolt 10 about which it turns, the cam lever 8 being provided with a cam slot 12 arranged to receive a pin 14 on a bracket 16 permanently attached to the tank 2, 66 the bracket 16 being provided with an integral vcradle 18 riveted to and embracing the curved under side of the tank. The bracket 16 is also provided with a slot 20 to receive a pin 22 which is attached to the base 4, being conveniently formed as the head of a bolt attached by a nut 24 to the base 4. The cam lever 8 is also provided with a shoulder 26 which engages the end of the bracket 16 when the lever has drawn the tank 2 into its proper position i'@ upon the base 4 with the pin 22 situated in the slot 20 and the pinf14 substantially at the end of the slot 12. Lateral swing oi the tank with respect to the base 4 is prevented by a rear cradle bracket 28 which is bolted to the rear end of the base 4 by means of bolts 30, this bracket having a cradle 32 into which the rear end of the tank 2 fits and being provided with a leg 34 to support it on the floor or other surface on which the machine is used.

Extending through the iront end of the tank 2 and adapted to be connected with the driving shaft 0i the motor 6 when the tank is locked in position on the base 4 is a shaft 36 provided in the end which is inside the tank with a socket 38 to receive Vthe shank 4c of the brush orreamer or other tool used in the cleaning operations, the socket 38 being provided with bayonet slots 42 to receive the ends of the pin 44 on the shank 40, and the socket having within it a spring 46 which forces the ends of the pins 44 into their seats. in the bayonet slots 42 and thus locks the brush shank in a driving connection with the shaft 3 8.

The shaft 36 has its bearings in a bracket 48, one bearing being formed in a hub 50 of the bracket which extends through the wall of the tank and is threaded to receive a nut 52 between which and the inner wall of the tank is conned a washer 54. vThe hub 50 is adapted also to receive a stung box gland 56 adapted to make a waterftight connection about the shaft .36. Between the bearing 50 in the bracket 48 and the bearing 58, the shaft 36 is preferably provided with a sleeve 60 attached to the shaft 36 by a pin 62 which serves to prevent the shaft from slipping lengthwise in its bearings. At its end outside the bearing 58 the shaft 36 kis pronvided -with a pin-64 adapted to fit in a slot 66 in a socket member 68 attached by a clamp screw to the shaft 72 of the motor 6. The pin 64 is free to move out of the slot 66 when the tank 2 is unlocked from the base 4, this movement of the pin 64 into and out of the slot 66 being effected by the cam slot 12 on the locking lever 8.

When the apparatus is to be used for cleaning the teat cups of a milking machine, a brush of suitable diameter and shape such as the brush 74, shown in the drawings, is provided and this brush may have a comparatively short shank, as shown. A suitable brush for this purpose is one made of bristles twisted in wire and ground to fit the part of the machine that is to be cleaned, the brush 74 being shown as having its twisted wire shank 76 fastened as, for example, by sweating into a short shank '78 that carries the pin 44 iitting the bayonet joint 42.

It is important that the brushes be run in water, although preferably they dip only part way into the water so that they run both in water and air. If run in air alone, there would be a tendency for them to swing out and twist ofi. Preferably they run at comparatively high speed, for example 1800 R.P.M.

For the tubular parts of the machine, for example for the tubes connected to the teat cups, a smaller brush must, of course, be used such, for example, as the brush 80. short tubes, the brush 89 needs only a short shank such, for example, as the shank 82. If the machine has long tubes, then long shanks such as 84 or 86 are needed and in this case the machine is also preferably equipped with a reamer 88 having an extra long shank 90, the reamer 88 being fiuted and made of any suitable material such, for example, as rubber or metal.

When a cleaning tool with a shank 90 as long as that shown on the reamer 88 is employed, the tank is preferably equipped with a guide to keep the tool from whirling at high speed. The illustrated guide is shown as a funnel-mouthed bushing 92 carried in a bracket 94 riveted to the bottom of the tank 2, the opening through the bushing 92 being large enough so that the milking machine tube to be cleaned can be slipped over the reamer and through the bushing.

When the machine is being used to clean the teat cups, that is, when the large brush 74 is being used, that end of the machine in which the `brush is located is preferably provided with a cover 96 to prevent splashing, the cover Vbeing open at its rear end to permit manipulation of the parts to be cleaned and proper inspection of the work.

The motor is, of course, provided with a conveniently located switch 98 for starting and stopping it and. the tank 2 is provided with handles 100 at its two ends for convenience in handling it.

The operation of the device will readily be understood from the foregoing description. The tank is removed to empty it and clean it. When it is replaced on the base, the cam lever 8, which locks it to the base, draws it into the coupling to the motor and at the end of the washing operation the same lever serves to disconnect the coupling to the motor and move the tank slightly in the unlocking operation so that it can be lifted off without danger of slopping.

.In washing the teat cup and its attached tube, it is usual to use rst the brush "74 and wash the cup and then `change the brush to one of the smaller brushes -or tothe reamer 88 Yand If the machine hasv wash the tube. When the milking machine has an extra long tube, for example some milking machines have tubes 42 inches long, the tube is reversed end for end in washing, half of the tube being washed by inserting the reamer or brush in one end and the other half being washed by reversing the tube and inserting the reamer or brush in the other end.

Although, in the foregoing description, the invention has been described in an embodiment in which it has been reduced to practice, it will be understood that other practical embodiments utilizing the novel principles of the invention can readily be made by those skilled in the art 'to whom this specification is addressed.

jWhat I claim as new is:4

1. A washing machine of the class described,

comprising,in'combination, a tank in which a cleaning tool operates, a shaft carried by said tank and extending through one wall thereof for operating the cleaning tool, a base adapted to support said tank, a motor for driving said shaft attached to said base, and means for locking said tank to and unlocking it from said base, including means operated by the locking and unlocking operation to move said tank and shaft into and out of driving connection with said motor.

2. A washing machine of` the class described, comprising a tank in which a cleaning tool operates, a shaft extending through one wall of the tank for driving the cleaning tool, a base for supporting said tank, a motor attached to said base and adapted to be clutched to and declutched from said shaft, and means for locking said tank to said base comprising a cam mounted on said base and connections between said cam and said tank whereby said tank, and with it said shaft, is moved into and out of clutching relation to said motor during the locking and unlocking operations of said locking means.

3. A washing machine for cleaning parts of milking machines, comprising a tank adapted to hold a cleaning liquid in which cleaning tools may be partially or wholly immersed, a shaft extending into said tank for driving the cleaning tools, said shaft being provided with means cooperating with the cleaning tools to permit the ready connection of said tools to and their disconnection from said shaft, a base for supporting said tank, a motor carried by said base and adapted to be connected to said shaft, and means for locking said tank in operative relation to said base including means operated by the V' locking and unlocking operations to move said tank shaft into and out of driving relation to said motor. Y

4. A washing machine of the class described comprising an elongated tank having therein a driving shaft for driving the cleaning tool, an elongated and, in proportion to its length, relatively narrow tool for cleaning tubes, operatively connected to said shaft, and means for limiting the lateral swing of said cleaning tool, j"

ROSCOE F. PENDLETON. 

